Homecoming
by TV Manic 2
Summary: Post Series  Un-aired ending . Having started the Second American Civil War and rescued Hawkins from Loomer Ridge Prison with Chavez, Jake will do anything to return home to Jericho, dead or alive.
1. A Good Landing

**Jericho -:- Homecoming**

**Summary:** Post Series (Un-aired ending). Having started the Second American Civil War and rescued Hawkins from Loomer Ridge Prison with Chavez, Jake will do anything to return home to Jericho, dead or alive.

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing

**Author's Note: **This is the result of having a massive 'Re-watch of Jericho Marathon' that meant every episode and special feature was watched in the space of three days. Having watched the un-aired ending I decided that there was no way it could possibly be left there and I just had to continue it :)

* * *

**Chapter One -:- A Good Landing**

**Somewhere Over Kansas**

Yet again, Jake found his eyes drawn to the fuel gage. Of all the hundreds of beeping lights and warning signs, that was the most troubling. He was practically flying the plane on fumes, and there was no way physics was going to keep them in the air much longer. They were going down, and there was nothing he could do.

Tearing his eyes away, he instead flicked a screen from radar to GPS, trying to focus on the destination rather than the journey. He could finally see Jericho on the map. He could finally see his home.

It had been a month since he had flown the package into Texan airspace, presenting officials with the evidence they needed to realise that the Cheyenne Government was a load a bull and drive them to side with what was left of the old administration. That at least made the Second Civil War that they had inevitably started a slightly fairer fight. The country had changed a lot since then. Towns and states had been asked to submit their allegiance to one side or the other, neutrality resulting in support from neither side. Some places had stuck with Cheyenne simply so that they could survive while others had realised that the Allied States of America was no longer about freedom, but control, and as such had refused further aid from them, instead turning to the Eastern United States.

Jake had found all this out while hiding in Colorado, a state still loyal to Cheyenne. While plotting how to release Hawkins from Loomer Ridge, he and Chavez had had to stay under the radar, getting information while remaining undetected. Being Wanted Men, it hadn't been easy. It had taken them three weeks to find themselves a way in and out, their escape vehicle being the plane they had borrowed from San Antonio. Not the quietist exit, but it had gotten them this far, and if you've got a plane, why not use it?

"How we doing?" asked Chavez as he ducked into the cockpit. A bloody rag was wrapped around his arm, the gunshot wound thankfully being the worst of the injuries received in the prison break. Jake glanced at the fuel gage again before replying.

"We're still going, just," he decided not to tell Chavez that their altitude was dropping as the engine struggled to run on the fumes they had. "How's Hawkins?"

Chavez shrugged, despite being in Jake's blind spot. "He's trained to survive worse. He'll sleep it off pretty quick. He wouldn't have talked either. Takes more than food and sleep deprivation to break men like us."

"Thanks." Jake muttered as Chavez turned to leave, causing him to pause. "Thanks for letting me take us home. It's probably not the smartest move, and it's not your home..."

"Jake, my home was nuked a year ago." Chavez replied bluntly, emotion drained from his voice as he had long ago accepted this as fact. "You wanna go home. I respect that and you deserve it. If there are any problems, we'll fix them. That's how it is." Jake nodded and Chavez smiled. "Besides, Jericho seems like a decent place to me, I can think of far worse places to settle."

As Chavez left, Jake looked again at the fuel gage, the needle pointing to empty. Several other lights were flashing telling him that it was pure hope that was keeping them airborne now. "Let's just hope I can get us there."

* * *

**Jericho, Kansas**

"It was the right decision, Gray," Eric said to the stony Mayor of their town. "We got Cheyenne out of our town; we're not ready for another military occupation."

Gray sighed heavily. "But by declaring us neutral, I've left us without aid. No food or medical supplies, nothing. We're lucky we're still on the grid, or we'd be truly screwed."

"I don't know if you've forgotten this, but before the soldiers came we were surviving on our own with far less. Beck made sure we kept all the supplies the ASA had provided before he left. If we're sensible we're good for a long time. We're not in the dark anymore." Eric reasoned.

After a moment of thought, Gray nodded. "How's the town taking it, Sherriff?"

Eric bristled a little at the title. It felt wrong that he had taken Jake's place in his absence. It irritated him that the only positions of authority he had taken had been temporary; 'Acting' Mayor, and now 'Acting' Sherriff. He brushed it off though, hoping the pause hadn't registered with Gray. "Things are pretty much normal. Dale is keeping Gracie's stocked with his trade, the citizens are happy, more relaxed now that the soldiers have gone. No one has disputed your decision, everyone's supporting it..."

"Until the food runs out." Gray interrupted, his eyes staring off somewhere else.

"Stanley is reporting a good harvest, along with the other farms. Things are going well. The biggest problems I'm being told about are that Mary has fewer customers than before and Emily is struggling to organise the High School Homecoming dance with only 8 students." Eric paused, trying to read Gray and failing. "Things are quiet and peaceful. You should enjoy it while it's here rather than long for it when it's gone."

"You're right, Eric. You're right. You should probably go help Emily and Mary." Gray subtly ordered for some alone time. Without another word, the Acting Sherriff of Jericho left the office.

Once outside in the evening air, Eric glanced up at the Gadsden flag flying above him. He smiled sadly at the memory of his father, and then walked down Main Street as the streetlamps spluttered to life.

* * *

**Cheyenne, Wyoming**

"Sir, we have reports that the fugitive's plane has entered Kansas airspace. The state has declared its allegiance to the EUS, what are your orders?"

The young soldier avoided all eye contact with his superior who seemed to be permanently irritated. Major Holmes was prone to shooting the messenger, which was possibly why he tended to receive news slower than others. "Is there any supporting or neutral ground in the area?"

"Yes Sir, a town called Jericho not far from the reported position is neutral. However, the closest EUS troops are stationed in New Bern, a neighbouring town. They are very close Sir."

"Where are our nearest troops?" Major Holmes snapped, mainly due to his personality rather than the situation.

"We have forces stationed in Colorado, Arkansas and Oklahoma. It will take two hours for the Oklahoma troops to travel north and intercept, however they are only ground troops with no nearby air support. The plane would have to be close to or on the ground for the strike to be effective." The soldier explained as quickly yet formally as possible, wanting to be out of the Major's presence as soon as possible.

Major Holmes mulled over a few possibilities in his mind before declaring orders unnecessarily loudly. "Right, send word to the Oklahoma troops that they are to intercept the plane in Jericho's territory. They are to capture the fugitives and take them back to Loomer Ridge, alive preferably, however if they were to be accidently killed I'm not too concerned. Go."

"Yes Sir!"

* * *

**Somewhere Over Kansas**

The plane's altitude had dipped to dangerous levels as Jake skimmed just above the tallest treetops. By some miracle the engine was still going, barely, allowing him to control their descent to some degree. They were so close, but the landing was going to determine whether they returned home in one piece or several.

"Where are we?" asked Hawkins as he managed to stumble into the cockpit. Chavez followed, hanging at the door as the space was too small for the three of them.

"We just passed New Bern, and are about fifty miles from Jericho." Jake replied. He sighed, and then gestured at the fuel gage. "You should probably know that I'm not really flying this plane anymore, just coasting her as close to the ground as possible before the engine completely cuts out."

"Wait, we're going down?" Chavez interrupted with the tiniest hint of fear in his voice. He had refused to admit his fear of flying to Jake, however the pilot had picked up on it the first time he had flown them from Texas to Colorado. "How long?"

Jake shrugged, honestly not knowing. "I'm aiming to land her here, twenty miles from town," he jabbed at the GPS screen. "I don't know if we'll make it that far though. You need to tie down anything loose that may fly around and hit you when we crash. Then you need to get to your seats and uh..." Jake flicked a button on the dash and the 'fasten seatbelts' sign lit up. "Fasten your seatbelts. We're going down, and I doubt it will be a smooth landing."

"Got it, Jake." Hawkins patted Jake on the shoulder before giving Chavez a gentle shove out of the cockpit. "Let's go."

* * *

**The Oklahoma/Kansas Border**

Major Hardy had not been pleased to hear his orders. What the trigger happy Major Holmes had ordered him to do was to enter enemy territory in order to get to neutral land that just happened to be right next door to the largest concentration of EUS forces in the state, possibly causing a fire fight or worse. And all he had was his team of twenty men armed only with automatic weapons to bring down a plane that may contain three fugitives.

But first they had had to get through border patrol at the state line. It had been interesting negotiating with EUS border officials who had been pretty reluctant to let them in. Even now their convoy was joined by two enemy patrol trucks that were ordered to stick with them until they entered neutral territory, and then wait for them and supervise their return. How they were going to bring down a plane in a relatively small space without the enemy noticing was another matter completely.

At the pace they were going they wouldn't be in Jericho territory for at least another hour, by which point the plane would have already flown into the next state. This attack seemed like a huge waste of resources in his opinion. He'd have a few words to say to Major Holmes when he eventually got back to Cheyenne.

* * *

**Jericho, Kansas**

Emily Sullivan was angry. She couldn't believe Jake could do this to her. He knew how much she had suffered, waiting and hoping for Roger to come home, not knowing if he was even still alive. And now he had gone and done the same. A tear slid down her cheek at the thought of Roger alone out there, probably dead by now. She hoped Jake had not come to the same fate.

After days knowing he was being tortured by Beck she had managed to rescue him and bring him home. He had been a mess, both physically and mentally. She had had him with her for half a day, and she was happy to have him safe. Then, without a word, he had left. No one in town knew where he had gone, except Darcy Hawkins. Emily knew that she had known something, but all the other woman had said was that Jake was with her husband and they were doing a great thing.

She drank another glass of wine, finishing the third bottle of the week, when it was only Tuesday. She had done this every night once she was home alone ever since Jake had disappeared. A whole month, alone, waiting and worrying.

When he came home, he'd have a lot to answer for.

* * *

**Somewhere Above Kansas**

This was it.

The engine had died with a crack that had echoed around the whole structure. In the space of about a minute that felt like hours, the plane fell from the sky.

Jake struggled to pull the plane out of the dive, trying to land on the belly rather than the nose. In the darkness of the night, he didn't see the tree line until it was too late to do anything. Branches raked at the plane as it shot through the growth. The windshield shattered as thicker branches punctured her, showering Jake with shards that cut at his face. He threw an arm up to protect himself and was rewarded with a huge shard embedding itself in his forearm. He yelled out but the sound of the plane crashing was far too loud for him to be heard.

They broke through the trees, a large field opening up before them. Jake saw the ground rushing up to meet them, and braced himself for the inevitable. The GPS had told him that they had entered Jericho land before the engine had cut out and plunged him into darkness. All he could think of was Emily, and he silently apologised for leaving her. He wished he had said goodbye before he'd left. He apologised to his mom as well, sorry that he would leave her too, so soon after his dad.

Moments before the nose of the plane buried itself into the mud, Jake had one final thought

_I'm Home._

**

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A/N: I hope you enjoyed the first chapter

**Please let me know what you think!**


	2. A Good Escape

**Jericho -:- Homecoming**

**Summary:** Post Series (Un-aired ending). Having started the Second American Civil War and rescued Hawkins from Loomer Ridge Prison with Chavez, Jake will do anything to return home to Jericho, dead or alive.

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing

**Author's Note: **A same-day update! Don't get used to it :P

* * *

**Chapter Two -:- A Good Escape**

**Jericho, Kansas**

"Jake!"

Gale Green shot up in bed, breathing heavily, eyes scanning the room wildly to ease her disorientation. She managed to calm down long enough to try and figure out what had woken her. She couldn't remember what she had been dreaming about, but all she knew now was that she felt so strongly that her son was in trouble. She could've sworn she heard him say sorry as if he were right next to her.

She untangled herself from the bedding and scrambled to the window, as if she would look out and see Jake on the front lawn. She opened the latch and leaned out into the cool night, scanning everything for some sign of her son. Then she saw something. At first she had thought it had been smoke from a chimney, but then she realised that somewhere on the horizon, something was churning out smoke. Somehow she knew that was where Jake was.

There came a knock from her door, but she couldn't tear herself away from the window. After a moment it clicked open. "Mom? Are you alright?"

"Eric, look, look!" Gale urged, staring out still. Eric did as he was told and came and stood beside her, trying to see what she saw. "There, that pillar of smoke, where is that?"

"I-I don't know, maybe five, ten miles out of town, why?"Eric looked down at his mother, concerned. He had moved back in after Jake had disappeared, not wanting to leave her alone.

"It's Jake. We have to go..."

"Wait, wait mom, how do you know?" he gently grasped her shoulders, stopping her from running off in the great hurry she was in.

Gale stopped, trying to apply logic to the feeling in her gut, to put into words how she knew, but she couldn't. She was just so sure. "I-I I just know. I have to go."

"But, mom, there's no gas in the truck. That's at least an hour's walk and its cold out. Can't this wait till morning? I'll borrow the Sherriff cruiser and drive you out then." Eric tried to reason, but knew he wasn't getting through.

"But Jake needs me now! This can't wait. I'm going!" Gale grabbed a jumper from the end of her bed and pulled it over her pjs.

Eric thought of trying to stop her again, but knew it was useless. "Fine, okay mom, but I'm coming with you."

* * *

**Twenty Miles Outside Jericho, Neutral Soil**

"Sir! Sir! Look!"

Major Hardy glanced up at where one of his subordinates was pointing. He caught sight of the tail end of a plane disappearing from view. He leaned out of the window of the truck to get a better look, just as the plane was eaten by a mass of tall trees. Even from their distance he could hear the crash as the metal structure smashed into the ground. He climbed back into the truck. "How far?"

"I'd say about five miles Sir, maybe more. We'll be on them in twenty minutes," replied the driver in a foreign accent.

The Major couldn't believe his luck. He had been wondering how he was going to bring down a plane, and the target had gone and done it for him. "All we have to do is identify what's left of them, and strike them off the blacklist."

The driver smiled and punched the gas, sending up sparks of dirt as they sped towards the crash site.

* * *

**Crash Site, Twelve Miles Outside Jericho**

When Hawkins came to, he had no idea how much time had passed. He blinked in the dark, assessing his condition and the situation. He undid the seatbelt that had saved his life, although he could already feel a bruise forming from the impact. A protruding tree branch impaled the seat next to him on the right, evidence of how close he had been to far more fatal injuries. He turned to his left, shaking Chavez's shoulder, unable to see in the small glow of the stars.

"Chavez?" Hawkins reached in his pocket and pulled out his phone, using it as a torch as he checked Chavez. His old friend had a head wound that didn't seem too serious, and was otherwise unhurt. Pure luck had saved them both with minimal injury. Hawkins shined the phone over the back of the seat, shocked to see that the plane had broken in half just behind where they were seated. The middle of the plane was facing skyward, their section planted at a 50° angle, nose first into the mud. "Oh my God..."

He unbuckled Chavez's belt, then climbed down to the door. With effort, due to the buckling of the plane, he managed to wrench it open. He then went back to Chavez and hauled the man outside; laying him on what was left of the field before going back into the wreck.

"Jake?" Hawkins called as he navigated his way down into the cockpit, clinging to whatever was available to stay upright. Once inside the tiny space he realised it had gotten even smaller. The nose of the plane had been crushed like a tin can on impact and the walls of the cabin buckled into folds. By the light of the phone, Hawkins could just make out a figure slumped over the controls. "Jake?"

He wasn't expecting a response but even so he still found himself calling out repetitively. For an intense moment, Hawkins felt extreme guilt, hating himself for dragging Jake into his war. He was ready to die for his country, but there was no reason for Jake too as well. He made his way up to the seat, bracing his feet on the dash so he could use his hand to check for a pulse. "Oh, thank God."

Hawkins breathed a sigh of relief before jumping back to logic, assessing the best way to get Jake out. He unbuckled the belt, thankful that none of their restraints had been stuck or badly damaged. Checking that Jake wasn't attached to anything else, he hooked his arms round his chest from behind and yanked him out of the seat and onto the floor. Getting him out of the plane was interesting, but Hawkins managed it.

By the time he was out in the cold air, Chavez was coming round. Dazed, it took him a moment to remember what had happened. Then he saw Jake and was wide awake. "How can I help?"

"There should be a first aid kit in there somewhere, go find it, but be careful," Hawkins ordered. He then turned his attention back to Jake, deciding on the best course of action. His right leg was broken in several places though his left seemed unscathed. Glass protruded from his left arm as well smaller shards across his face and chest. There was a lot of blood on his face from the head wound along his hairline as well as the cuts. He needed help. "Chavez? You find it?"

"Yeah! I'm coming out!" A few moments later Chavez managed to climb out the wreckage, a first aid bag slung over a shoulder. He dropped to his knees beside Hawkins and passed it over. "Is that really gonna be enough?"

"Let's hope so."

* * *

**Jericho, Kansas**

Gale Green marched down the road, leaving the street lights of the town behind. Two steps behind, Eric followed, two parts worried, one part hopeful, that what his mother was so certain of was true. If she was right, and Jake was out there, Eric wondered what condition he was in. The smoke was visible ten miles out; it had to have been a pretty big crash. Was his brother even still alive? But then again, what if his mother was wrong and Jake wasn't there, how he would he console her when her son is missing again?

"He's there."

Eric glanced at the back of his mother's head, surprised by the sudden noise. They kept walking a bit longer in silence, the first sign of dawn lighting the horizon. "Mom...what if..."

"There is no 'what if' Eric. You're worried that he won't be there and I'll have some sort of breakdown right?" Gale interrupted a little harshly. Eric was taken aback but how spot on her intuition was. "It's not gonna happen. I know that he's there, and that he needs us. We're gonna bring your brother home."

"I hope your right."

* * *

**Crash Site**

"They're not here Sir."

"What?"

"They're not..."

"I heard what you said. Get nine of the men and pair off, scout the area for signs of where they went. Davis!" Major Hardy yelled at another soldier while the other scampered off. "Search this wreck again, I wanna know what the hell happened. Now."

"Yes sir!"

Major Hardy pinched the bridge of his nose in annoyance. So much for 'luck' giving him an 'easy' mission. They hadn't had to shoot down the plane, but now the fugitives were on the loose, God knows how far they had gone by now. He glanced at the horizon to see the first light of dawn and he glanced at his watch, 5am. He was on 34 hours without sleep and he could feel himself getting irritated. When he found the fugitives he wasn't sure he'd be able to do the 'captured alive' bit.

"Sir," Davis returned from the wreck, an empty first aid bag in his hands. "We found this sir, surrounded by a lot of blood. At least one of them is pretty badly hurt, they wouldn't have gotten far."

"Good, get the trucks ready to roll, I want to be moving as soon as I know which way."

Davis saluted and headed off towards the truck, shouting orders to the others. Fifteen minutes passed before the scouting party returned with news that they had found a blood trail that led to the road and in the direction of Jericho.

"That's not very smart. New Bern's closer and would offer them diplomatic asylum. Why are they heading to Jericho?" Major Hardy asked no one in particular.

"Maybe they're not local sir and don't realise they're going the wrong way," one of the men suggested with a few nods from the others.

"Maybe..." Major Hardy straightened his shoulders and raised his voice. "Let's move out!"

* * *

**Highway, Ten Miles outside Jericho**

"Do you reckon they followed us out here?" Chavez asked as he scoured the area for signs of movement. He was lthe ookout as they travelled along the road in the open, a rifle they'd scavenged from the plane in his hands. Hawkins had Jake slung over his shoulders in an efficient fireman's carry, a hand gun in the waist of his jeans just in case.

"I wouldn't put it past them," Hawkins replied. "We didn't get any company while in the air, but they were probably tracking us. Jericho may be neutral, but this state is sided with the EUS. There'd be a lot of hassle and consequences if they were to follow us in here." He double checked a spot in the distance. "But that don't mean they wouldn't try anyway."

Chavez nodded, walking backwards for a few paces as he checked behind them. "We know there are a lot of EUS troops in New Bern, which is closer, it would'a been smarter to go that way."

"That's as may be, but I for one, wanna go home and see my wife and kids, and I know Jake's been wanting to go back ever since we left. At this stage, we've done our job. Now we do what we want." Hawkins said decisively, focused on the destination.

They walked another mile in complete silence, permanently scanning the surrounding area for signs of anything and everything. The sun was slightly higher in the sky, lightening the way slightly, however it was a slow rise for an Autumn morning and Hawkins pegged it to be about six am. Fields of tall grass surrounded them on either side, working for and against them. It blocked some of their view, however it would provide decent cover if push came to shove.

"I got headlights."

"Where?" Hawkins asked, looking where Chavez was pointing. "Less than half-mile. Have we been spotted?" The convoy of trucks suddenly sped up. "Damnnit, take cover in the grass. Try not to leave a path."

They ran pretty deep into the 5 ft tall stalks before Hawkins came to a stop where the ground dipped slightly into a trough. "We're too visible, take cover there!"

Chavez did as he was told and jumped down into the crevice. He then helped Jake off of Hawkins's shoulders and laid him against the slope before taking up a sniper position, the rifle scope to his eye. Hawkins dropped to a crouch next to them. "I can't see a damn thing. They know where we left the road, they'll find us in minutes!"

Hawkins thought over their options rapidly, aware of the sound of trucks coming to a stop and doors slamming not far off. The leader was already giving orders. If it were just the two of them, they could get away quickly and quietly without conflict, but that meant leaving Jake, something Hawkins wasn't willing to do after he had come and broken him out of prison. But then again, if they tried to run with Jake they'd all get caught and probably shot. His logical mind conflicted with his slowly developing sense of loyalty. "If we split up and draw fire from two directions they might think there's more of us and retreat."

"Might? Our best chance is to run. I hate to say this, I really do, but there's not much chance of Jake making it even if your plan does work...we have to leave him," Chavez explained, genuinely sorry. "If we don't, we're all dead."

"Then...you sh-should...go..."

Both Hawkins and Chavez looked at Jake in complete surprise. Badly injured, he looked disorientated and dazed; however he knew exactly what he was saying. "How f-far..."

"Eight or nine miles," Hawkins answered, knowing what Jake was getting at.

"I w-won't walk th-that...b-but if they dr-drive..."Jake winced as he tried hard to stay conscious and talk despite the rather dramatic amount of blood loss. "They'll take me h-home..."

"He's right, Jericho is the closest neutral soil. They'll take him there for medical attention if they want us alive," Chavez realised, looking through the scope as he tried to pick up where the soldiers were and how close.

"And if they don't?" Hawkins asked as Jake continued staying conscious, slightly easier now that he had said his piece.

Chavez nodded in the direction of the trucks. "None of them looked refrigerated to me. There's no way they're carrying a body back to Cheyenne. They'll take him to Jericho to be...buried." Chavez looked away from Jake, feeling guilty for saying what was logically true. The sound of soldiers was getting closer. "If we don't leave right now, we'll be caught anyway. Hawkins, we gotta go."

Hawkins nodded, still conflicted but his decision made. He pulled the hand gun from his jeans and placed it in Jake's hand. He looked his rescuer right in the eye and promised "We'll come and get you. I ain't leaving you anymore than you left me."

Jake nodded, holding the pistol tight. "G-go then..."

Without another word, Chavez and Hawkins slipped silently away, leaving Jake alone to face the soldiers as they surrounded him.


	3. A Good Catch

**Jericho -:- Homecoming**

**Summary:** Post Series (Un-aired ending). Having started the Second American Civil War and rescued Hawkins from Loomer Ridge Prison with Chavez, Jake will do anything to return home to Jericho, dead or alive.

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing

**Author's Note: **Thanks to xXThedoctorxX, nightbird47, and madmedjenna for reviewing! Sorry it's been so long for this update, I've had half this chapter written since March but then I had the inevitable writers block :(

Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter Three -:- A Good Catch**

**Jericho, Kansas**

The morning sun broke through the curtains, the glare waking Emily from her sleep. She blinked her eyes open, cursing the glowing orb from waking her from one of the few good dreams she had had in a while. She wanted to go back to the make-believe world where she wasn't alone. She patted the blankets next to her to confirm that this was reality and that her bed was empty.

Knowing that there was no way she'd get back to sleep now, she glanced at her clock. The glowing numbers told her it was 6.15am, too early for a Wednesday with no school. After Cheyenne had left the town they had decided on a four-day school week so as not to pressure the kids who didn't particularly want to be there anyway.

She lay in her bed, staring at the ceiling, wondering if today would be the day that Jake finally came home.

* * *

**A Field, 10 Miles outside Jericho**

"Sir! We found someone!"

Major Hardy headed in the direction of his subordinates voice, rifle raised and ready. He came to a dip in the shoulder-high grass to find his soldiers in a circle, pointing their weapons at some heap on the ground. It wasn't untill he got closer that he realised the heap was a man looking the worse for wear and covered in blood. From the description he'd been given he pegged the man to be Jake Green, one of the fugitives. Hardy chuckled. "Well, well, well. It looks like someone got left behind."

Jake glared up at the Major as best he could, but found his eyes closing involuntarily. One of the soldiers has kicked away the hand gun Hawkins had gave him before he'd had a chance to fire off a shot.

The Major just smirked as Jake passed out, and then started giving orders. "Davis, Jones; load him in the truck and make sure he's cuffed, be ready to move." The two soldiers obeyed with a nod. Hardy pointed at the group opposite him. "You six, go stand guard around the truck, keep an eye out for any movement, they might try some gung-ho rescue. The rest of you, scout the area I want to know where they went. Now."

The soldiers burst into movement, taking a scattered formation as they scoured the field. Davis and Jones hauled an unconscious Jake between them, cuffing his hands in front of him, and threw him in the back of the truck, seated, so as not to take up too much room. Twenty minutes passed before the scouts returned with their findings.

"Sir, the tracks continue to the edge of the field where there's a pretty big sign declaring 'Welcome to Jericho'. It looks like they then back-tracked towards the woods and onto another highway. The trail goes cold there. That way is the quickest way to New Bern on foot," a soldier reported.

Davis gave a snort of amusement. "So they really were lost? Not the smartest, are they?"

"They're smart enough to head towards our enemy's soil, private," Hardy admonished, though he himself had found the mistake funny. "If we go after them now we risk starting a fight with the EUS. We'll report that they made it to enemy soil so we couldn't follow. Let's head back to the border and pick up our escorts shall we?"

"Ermm...sir..." a soldier with a nervous disposition interrupted, earning himself a glare. "W-we only had enough fuel for a one-way trip..."

"And you're telling me this now, Lowe?" Hardy barked, making Lowe jump. He'd never really liked the young, weedy-looking soldier anyway. "Load up. We're heading into Jericho to re-fuel. Move out!"

* * *

**Highway, 4 Miles outside Jericho**

Eric Green continued to follow his mother as she marched with purpose towards the diminishing plume of smoke. They'd been walking for an hour and still hadn't reached it, proving that Eric wasn't as good at pegging distances as he thought. They'd been walking in silence ever since he'd posed the 'what if?' question.

He was about to try and strike up a conversation when he saw something glinting at the crest of the hill. He tried to see what had caused it but the sun was right in his eyes. "Mom..."

"What?" replied Gale a little curtly, worry making her anxious.

"There's something..." Eric stared ahead until he could make out two black shapes moving towards them, fast. "There's someone up ahead!"

"Where?" Gale squinted where Eric pointed, just making out the shapes as they started to become clearer, the distance between them shortening. "Who do you think they are?"

"I don't know...but I think I see a gun," Eric warned, wary of the strangers that were closing the gap so quickly. "Maybe we should hide."

"Eric, everyone has a gun these days, and I suspect they've already seen us," Gale was just starting to make out some of the features of the figures. "Besides, the one on the left looks familiar."

"Are you sure?"

Mother and son stared at the oncoming figures, impatiently waiting to find out who they were. Back-lit, they were cast in shadow, but Gale could just make out the dark hair and build of the figure on the right. She found herself truly believing that it was Jake. She felt hope, relief and happiness bubble up inside of her, threatening to overflow into a high-pitched giggle. But then they got closer.

"Mr. Hawkins?" called Eric as they came into view and within ear-shot. The figure on the left acknowledged with a gesture. As they came closer, Eric got more and more confused. "What are you doing here? Where's Jake? Who's that?"

Gale was too winded from disappointment to voice her own questions, instead waiting for Hawkins's answers. Hawkins and his not-Jake friend came to a stop in front of them, barely winded from their run. "This is Chavez, a friend. And we're here because of Jake..."

"What's happened?" Gale asked anxiously, picking up on the tone of Hawkins's voice

"I will explain _everything_ later," Hawkins promised, meeting Gale's gaze. "But for now all you need to know is that Jake was taken by ASA soldiers which are now on route to Jericho. We have a plan to get him back, but we'll need some co-operation from some people in town, and we need to get back before the soldiers arrive."

"But we're on foot, there's no way we can do that," said Eric.

"We're not far from the ranch," Gale replied, already walking in that direction. "We can make it on horseback. What do you need us to do?"

* * *

**Jericho, Kansas**

Mayor Gray Anderson stood at the top of the town hall steps and watched calmly as the four military hummers rumbled down Main Street. A couple of pedestrians scarpered at the sight while others stood their ground, daring the soldiers to start something. The hummers came to a stop with the squeal of brakes, and suddenly the street was full of ASA uniforms. Gray had an overwhelming sense of déjà vu.

Gray took a deep breath then called out to the most leader-looking soldier. "Hi, I'm the Mayor of Jericho, Gray Anderson. My rangers on the outskirts told me you were coming. Can we help you in some way?"

"Mayor Anderson, I am Major James Hardy of the Allied States Army," the Major introduced with the quick bark of a drill sergeant. "We are transporting a fugitive to Loomer Ridge, Colorado however need to re-fuel to make the journey. As a neutral party, we are requesting from you the fuel we need, permission to stay one night, and a secure location in which to hold the fugitive."

Gray looked thoughtful for a moment, pondering the demands. "As a neutral party, we are not required to comply with your request..."

"Sir, as a neutral party, you are not protected by war-laws," Major Hardy interrupted, the threatening undertones not very subtle. "This is the only neutral soil in the entire state, and as such is the only place we can get fuel. I am asking for your assistance. I don't have to."

"Then I'll arrange for some fuel to be brought here," Gray replied curtly, not liking being threatened. "That will take about an hour. Then you can leave."

Major Hardy scowled, greatly irritated by the Mayor and tired from sleep deprivation. "My company has gone without rest for nearly three days," he exaggerated. "As such, I am _asking_ that we stay in this town for one night."

Gray caught the hint as several of the gathered soldiers cocked their weapons threateningly. "I want you out of town by 8 o'clock tomorrow morning. That gives you 24 hours. We have a jail the fugitive can stay in; I'll just call the sheriff."

"No need Gray," Eric called as he trotted on horseback past the hummers. He clambered down and held the horses reigns, warily studying the Major. "I'm Sheriff Eric Green, how can I help?"

Gray brought Eric up to speed as the Major grew more and more irritable. Five minutes later, Eric was ready to escort the fugitive, gesturing for the soldiers to follow him. Hardy ordered Davis and Jones to get Jake from the hummer. Eric could barely conceal his concerned reaction as he saw his brother for the first time in a month.

The two soldiers carried Jake between them, an arm hooked under each of his, hands cuffed in front of him. He was covered in blood and dirt, Hawkins's first aid not holding as well as it had. As they walked towards him, Eric could see that Jake's right leg was significantly longer than the other, his foot trailing at a strange angle as he was half-carried, half-dragged towards the sheriff's office.

"Is he going to be needing medical treatment?" asked Gray as he walked with the major behind the soldiers, Jake and Eric.

Major Hardy shrugged. "My orders were to capture the fugitives, not necessarily alive, but it was implied. I'd appreciate it if you could get the fugitive a doctor, though it's more than he deserves."

"Wait, fugitive's'?" questioned Gray, concerned. "There are more out there?"

"They ran to the EUS for protection, they won't be a problem," replied Hardy as they entered the sheriff's office. At the desk Jimmy and Bill were talking to Gale, apparently discussing the mysterious hummers on Main Street. They stared curiously at the soldiers as they came in, but stayed silent. Gale managed to avoid looking at Jake, knowing her reaction would give her away.

"Just down the hall," Eric pointed, then gestured at Jimmy. "Go open up the cell, we got a guest." He turned back to the major. "We only have the one cell, it being a small town and all. Hardly gets used."

Major Hardy ignored him, his patience long ago burned out. He watched as the soldiers deposited the fugitive and slammed the metal doors with a clang. "Davis, Jones, you'll be the guards inside, I'll leave another five soldiers outside. Mayor, if you could get a doctor and direct us to a place to stay."

"Sure, there's a B&B in town that could do with the business," Gray obliged, swallowing comments about tourists. "Gale, can you see if you can find a volunteer at the med centre to take a look at the prisoner?"

"Our supplies are pretty low, can we afford..." Gale made to argue, but trailed off at a gesture from Gray.

"Just see what you can do."

* * *

**The Med Centre**

Dr. Kenchy Dhuwalia stared at Gale Green as if she were mad. He then glanced over her shoulder at an exhausted but determined-looking Hawkins, briefly wondering if the madness was catching. He blinked, trying to process the request but failing. "You want me to what?"

"We _need_ you to be Jake's doctor, and then we need you to kill him with this," Gale replied evenly.

Hawkins raised a vial of colourless liquid. "This will make him appear dead for about twelve hours, by which point the soldiers will be ready to leave. Then we can persuade them to leave him behind and they leave, mission complete and suspicion averted. We've already set it up, you've just got to give him this."

Kenchy took the vial from Hawkins and studied the label, not recognising the Latin. "I've never heard of this..._rhododendron ponticum_...and what you're talking about...that's only possible in fiction, you're all mad!"

"It's a plant," Hawkins's explained to the best of his knowledge, "infamous somewhere in Turkey for its ability to induce apparently mortal paralysis. This will work."

"And if it doesn't?" Kenchy asked. "From what you've said, Jake's not in good condition. What if this _actually_ kills him?"

Gale closed her eyes as she tried not to think about that possibility. Hawkins answered flatly, "Then we won't be lying when we ask Major Hardy if we can bury him here."

* * *

**And yes...I have watched Sherlock Holmes recently :P**

**Hopefully the next update will take less than 3 months!**


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